Tag: Devon Williams

Phil Steele honors 15 Oregon Ducks on his preseason all-Pac-12 list

A total of 15 Oregon Ducks made Phil Steele’s all-Pac-12 selections, with four Ducks making the first team.

It’s that time of year where pre-season lists are being published in the world of college football and there’s no more prestigious pre-season publisher than Phil Steele.

He has selected 15 Oregon Ducks as all-conference players with four of those Ducks on his First Team All-Pac-12 list.

It should come as no surprise that defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux would lead this particular list off. Thibodeaux has a chance to be a First-Team All-American and a very high draft choice when the NFL draft rolls around next April.

Joining Thibodeaux on the first team is offensive linemen TJ Bass and Alex Forsyth to go with cornerback Mykael Wright. Bass and Forsyth will be second-year starters for Oregon along that huge O-line and Wright was an all-Pac-12 player last season as a sophomore.

On Steele’s second-team all-conference is safety Verone McKinley III, linebacker Noah Sewell, receiver Devon Williams, offensive lineman Steven Jones, and tailback CJ Verdell.

McKinley was a freshman All-American in 2019 and Sewell was also one in 2020. Because of the pandemic, those players are still a sophomore and freshman, respectively, and look to be the core of the Oregon defense in 2021.

The 6-foot-5 Williams should be a go-to target for quarterback Anthony Brown this season as he has Jones, Bass and Forsyth to protect him. Brown is listed on Steele’s fourth-team all-conference list.

Verdell is looking to become of of the great Oregon tailbacks of all time with 68 more yards to crack the Oregon Top 10 list. He’s less than 1,000 yards away from 3,500 career yards.

Safety Jamal Hill leads Oregon on Steele’s third team along with offensive lineman Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, long snapper Karsten Battles and punter Tom Snee.

Hill played in all 14 games in 2019 and another six in 2020 where he managed to grab two interceptions. Aumavae-Laulu, at 6-foot-6 and 325 pounds will be yet another massive body on that line and Battles is a very reliable long snapper that is key to the Ducks’ special teams. Snee’s punting ability has improved each season as he averaged nearly 44 yards per punt in 2020.

Along with Brown, defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus made Steele’s fourth-team all-Pac-12 list.

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With experience on their side, Oregon’s wide receivers are leading the way

Experience and leadership have propelled Oregon’s veteran receivers to set an example for younger guys at spring practice thus far.

It’s not often that you get a group of wide receivers that is as experienced and talented as the one that the Oregon Ducks are working with right now.

Sure there are teams like the 2019 Alabama Crimson Tide, who had Jerry Jeudy, Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith, and Henry Ruggs all on the roster, all of which will end up being first-round draft picks once this week is in the rearview mirror. However, that’s an absolute anomaly in the NCAA. Typically, a good team will have one or two experienced pass-catchers and an up-and-coming young guy that can help pick up the slack.

For the Ducks, there are at a minimum four guys who could be the WR1, with a group of underclassmen ready to hit the ground running behind them. When you’re looking at good problems to have, there may be too much talent to deal with at times, with just one ball going around.

The depth chart is headed up by seniors Johnny Johnson III and Jaylon Redd, as well as sophomores Mycah Pittman and Devon Williams. Between those four players, there is a deep well of experience, and head coach Mario Cristobal said on Saturday that the knowledge and leadership they’re bringing to the table is helping tremendously when it comes to bringing the younger class of players along.

“The older guys have been great,” Cristobal said. “The older guys have done a really good job, making plays, pushing the tempo. Inforcing the culture in a big-time way.”

Behind those top players, Oregon has a wealth of guys who could potentially break out this season if given the chance. We’ve heard great things already about sophomore Isaah Crocker this spring, and the arrival of both Troy Franklin and Dont’e Thorton has given the Ducks some real depth at the position. You also have players like Kris Hutson and Josh Delgado returning this season as well.

All in all, there should not be any lack of production at the wide receiver position for Oregon. Assuming that they can get some high-level production for the quarterback spot, which seems to belong to Anthony Brown at this point, then there is no reason to believe that the Ducks’ offense won’t be firing on all cylinders once the season begins.

We may not have to see it in action on September 4th against Fresno State, but when Oregon travels to The Shoe at Ohio State on September 11th for a blockbuster matchup with the Buckeyes, you can bet that Joe Moorhead will have everything clicking just the way we are expecting.

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Spring Position Preview: Johnny Johnson III heads up a deep and talented receiver corps

When Johnny Johnson III announced he was returning for one more season, Oregon’s receiver group went from good to great just like that.

Oregon Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal may have a big decision to make where it comes to his quarterback, but whoever that is, he’s going to have plenty of targets to throw to as the Ducks will feature a group of receivers that is second to none.

That receiving group was already going to be outstanding with Mycah Pittman and Devon Williams on the field. The group went from great to possibly elite when senior Johnny Johnson III announced he was coming back for another season.

(Pool photo by Andy Nelson/The Register-Guard)

The Chandler, Ariz. native has turned into a dependable playmaker that can beat nearly every defender despite his 6-foot, 199-pound frame. Johnson comes into the 2021 season with 114 career receptions for 1,617 yards and 14 touchdowns. His breakout season came in 2019 when Johnson caught 57 balls for 836 yards and seven scores.

Johnson was primed to have another monster season in 2020 until the world was turned upside down. He also had to learn a new offensive scheme under coordinator Joe Moorhead, plus a new quarterback tossing the pigskin. All of those factors, as expected, put a damper on his season as Johnson caught just 19 passes for 267 yards and two scores.

Now with more of a normal senior season ahead of him, Johnson can have a year the Ducks know he can have, But Johnson isn’t nearly the only weapon at Oregon’s disposal.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

On the other side of the field, Pittman is also out to prove that 2020 was a fluke, but for different reasons than his receiving counterpart. He was sidelined after five games due to COVID-19. His freshman season was also cut short due to injuries, so the Ducks are hoping those maladies are history and they can see what Pittman can do in a full 12-game season.

The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder came to Eugene in 2019 as one of the top prep wide receivers in the country and has shown flashes of brilliance on the field.

With names like Johnson and Pittman on the roster, it’s easy to forget players such as Jaylon Redd and Williams. Oregon is looking forward to having all four of those players healthy at the same time just to see the havoc they can do against opposing defenses.

Redd is entering his senior season with 118 career receptions for 1,238 yards and 14 touchdowns. He chose to use his extra year of eligibility because of the pandemic and the Ducks have to be thrilled with that decision. Redd can be used in multiple ways due to his size and speed.

At 5-foot-9 and 187 pounds, he has been used as a scatback or a slot receiver, making it difficult to find him in the formation. Redd has five career rushing touchdowns.

Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard

Williams, at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, led the Ducks with 286 yards and two touchdowns in the six games he played. When he committed to USC in 2018, he was considered the top athlete in the country. He played all 12 games for the Trojans in 2018 but caught just four passes for 87 yards.

With his size, the Ducks will be able to exploit mismatches in the secondary for easy touchdowns. He classified as a sophomore, so Oregon hopes it gets two or maybe three full seasons with Williams on the field.

If for some reason an injury occurs to one of the four main receivers, the Ducks will be able to turn to players such as freshman Troy Franklin, a 6-foot-2, 170-pounder from East Palo Alto, Calif. He was one of the top receivers in the 2020 recruiting class.

Freshman Kris Hutson saw limited playing time last season as did sophomore Josh Delgado.

The only thing that could stop this group is injuries because defenses are going to have a difficult time keeping these Ducks covered.

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